Competition commission head Shan Ramburuth racked up a mobile data bill of R123,000 on a government issued SIM card while overseas, mainly through visiting pornographic websites. This is according to a report in the Sunday Times.<\/p>\n
The Sunday Times reported that the department of economic development said that Ramburuth resigned in the wake of a pornography scandal, but he disputed this fact.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs far as I\u2019m concerned, I\u2019m still talking to him [Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel] about it\u2026I have in my discussions with him, discussed various options,\u201d Ramburuth told the newspaper.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would like to conclude that [discussion] with him before making any statement.\u201d<\/p>\n
Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel\u2019s spokesman Manelisi Wolela, however, said following complaints \u201crelating to acts of misconduct\u201d, an investigation by Patel had ensued.<\/p>\n
\u201cEarlier this week, Ramburuth resigned as commissioner and as an employee of the Competition Commission,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Wolela said the resignation would take effect on October 21.<\/p>\n
The Sunday Times referred to a forensic report by Paul O\u2019Sullivan and Associates which detailed how Ramburuth apparently visited 25 pornographic sites between August and November 2011.<\/p>\n
His data bill in October that year \u2013 while using a government issued SIM card overseas \u2013 came to a total of R123,000.<\/p>\n
The report suggested he had visited \u201cinappropriate sites which were of an explicit pornographic nature\u201d.<\/p>\n
This is against the Competition Commissions\u2019 Internet policy, which forbids websites which show \u2018any form of violence, pornography, explicit nudity and sexual acts or gross depictions\u2019.<\/p>\n
Ramburuth disputed that surfing porn was to blame for the high mobile data bill, explaining that it was a result of software updates.<\/p>\n
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